- A
Set the trust policy to allow any AWS account to assume the role.
Why wrong: Trust policies should be restricted to specific accounts.
- B
Use IAM roles instead of IAM users for applications running on EC2.
Roles are more secure than storing access keys on instances.
- C
Rotate role credentials automatically by using temporary credentials from STS.
Roles provide temporary credentials that rotate automatically.
- D
Use service control policies (SCPs) to restrict permissions at the organizational level.
SCPs provide an additional layer of security.
- E
Grant broad permissions to roles to avoid frequent updates.
Why wrong: Least privilege should be applied.
Question 613 of 1,748
SCS-C02 Identity and Access Management Practice Question
This SCS-C02 practice question tests your understanding of identity and access management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which THREE are best practices for managing IAM roles?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use IAM roles instead of IAM users for applications running on EC2.
Option B is correct because IAM roles provide temporary security credentials via AWS STS, which eliminates the need to manage long-term access keys for applications running on EC2. By using an instance profile, the EC2 instance can automatically rotate credentials and securely access AWS services without embedding secrets in code or configuration files.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set the trust policy to allow any AWS account to assume the role.
Why it's wrong here
Trust policies should be restricted to specific accounts.
- ✓
Use IAM roles instead of IAM users for applications running on EC2.
Why this is correct
Roles are more secure than storing access keys on instances.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Rotate role credentials automatically by using temporary credentials from STS.
Why this is correct
Roles provide temporary credentials that rotate automatically.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Use service control policies (SCPs) to restrict permissions at the organizational level.
Why this is correct
SCPs provide an additional layer of security.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Grant broad permissions to roles to avoid frequent updates.
Why it's wrong here
Least privilege should be applied.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse service control policies (SCPs) with IAM roles, but SCPs are used to set permission boundaries at the organizational level in AWS Organizations, not to manage individual IAM roles, making option D a valid best practice for centralized governance but not directly about managing IAM roles themselves.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, IAM roles use AWS STS to issue temporary credentials that are valid for a configurable duration (default 1 hour, max 12 hours). The EC2 instance retrieves these credentials from the instance metadata service (IMDS) at http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/, and the SDK automatically refreshes them before expiry, ensuring continuous access without manual rotation.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Identity and Access Management — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SCS-C02 question test?
Identity and Access Management — This question tests Identity and Access Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use IAM roles instead of IAM users for applications running on EC2. — Option B is correct because IAM roles provide temporary security credentials via AWS STS, which eliminates the need to manage long-term access keys for applications running on EC2. By using an instance profile, the EC2 instance can automatically rotate credentials and securely access AWS services without embedding secrets in code or configuration files.
What should I do if I get this SCS-C02 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This SCS-C02 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SCS-C02 exam.
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